CLEVELAND -- From opposing sides of battleground Ohio, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are offering vastly different visions of how to speed up America's economic recovery.

They accused each other on Thursday of pursuing failed ideas, though neither described more than his own familiar platform.

In Cincinnati, Romney said, "Don't forget, he's been president for three and a half years. And talk is cheap. Actions speak very loud." Romney, speaking just ahead of Obama's economic address, said, "If you want to see the results of his economic policy, look around Ohio, look around the country."

Obama, trying in Cleveland to define the choice for voters, presented the election as a time when the country could break a stalemate of ideas.

He said, "If you want to give the policies of the last decade another try, then you should vote for Mr. Romney."